The CURE

Patient Hotels

Saving money and improving lives at a pioneering ‘patient hotel’ in Sweden

For Anita, managing her Parkinson’s disease is a delicate balancing act. Too much or too little of the medication she needs and her symptoms become unmanageable.

But instead of long stays at the hospital where she is constantly being monitored, Anita is able to stay at a comfortable hotel where she gets the medical support she needs and will pay just 11% of the bill.

This is because she is staying at a state-supported ‘patient hotel’ in Sweden. Established in the 1980s during a major hospital bed shortage, these hotels serves as a middle ground between going home and full medical attention, and are still proving popular for patients today.

Monica, who has cancer, chose to stay at the patient hotel in Lund following her treatment. “At hospital, you always feel you are sick but when you come here, you feel much better because you feel like you’re at a hotel.” She added, “When I came from the hospital I didn’t want to go home because I feel I’m not strong enough… But now – now, I can do it.”

Join reporter Elizabeth Healey in Sweden to find out how ‘patient hotels’ are cutting hospital bills and helping aid patients’ recovery.